Vehicle-spring



B. W. CORLISS.

VEHICLE SPRING- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5.1919.

I N VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l k N 22% V/Z/ $5 m M m v N Nv N & H 7 n M b m w w M m N avg A TTORNEYS.

B. W. CORLISS.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED m1. 5.1919. 1,317,778. Patented 0m. 7,1919.

I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNEYS.

um w

UNTTED @ATE FAENT @FFTQE.

vnnroLn-srnnve.

Application filed February To all whom it may concern Be'it known that I, BENJAMIN WV. Con- LIss a'citizen of the United States, residing at (/alais, in the county of Washington. and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle- Springs;and- I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

The present invention relates to laminated leaf springs, such as commonly used in vehicles, and it is the object of the invention to provide novel and improved means for holding the leaves of such springs assembled without the necessity of drilling holes through or otherwise weakening the leaves, as have proven a source of annoyance due to the springs breaking at such weakened portions. 1 g

Another object is the provision of a device adapted to be placed on and attached I to the leaves of a laminated spring, in order to retain the leaves 111 posltlon in an effective and practical. manner, the construction being comparatlvely simple and mexpensive, and being adaptable to various styles of 7 laminated springs with equal propriety and the accomsemi-elliptical laminated spring embodying the improvements, a portionbeing broken away.

Fig. 2 and 3 are enlarged cross sections on the respective lines 2-2 and of Fig.1.

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view,'with port-ions'broken away to show one of the cleats or abutments having the side pieces or straps.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing'a modification, the spring being of half length as compared to the spring shown in Fig. 1.

Fig, (Sis a side elevationef an elliptical spring having the improvements applied, there being slight variations due to the use Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentcdfleht,1919. 5, 1e19.. Serial no. 275,097; J e

of the improvements on both sections of the spring, portions being broken away. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail.show. ing the joints between the ends of the two strips used for holding the leaves assembled. Fig- 8 is a planview of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

The spring shown in Fig. 1 is of bowed or semi-elliptical form and comprises the superposed arcuate leaves or laminae 1, which decrease in length progressively as usual in a spring of this type, but in using the present improvements, the endsof the leaves are preferably not reduced. in thickness or tapered off, so as to present shoulders or abutments, as seen in Fig. 1, whereby the ends of the leaves providea stepped arrangement. The longest leaf 1, as shown, is provided at its ends with the sleeves or eyes 2 for attaching the ends ofthe spring to an object. such as the body of a vehicle, axle, or the like.

In carrying out the invention, a strip or bar 3 of untempered metal is'bent so as to extend longitudinally over the leaves, at that side opposite to the longest leaf, or over the projecting ends of the leaves, and this strip can be readily bent into place against the ends of the leaves in applying the .deviceto the spring. The ends of the strip. 3, as shown in Fig. 1, are preferably bent par' tially, around, as at 4, theeyesQ, to assist in holding the strip in position on the spring, and at its intermediate portion, the

strip 3 is provided with a stud or pin 5 that will enter an aperture or recess in the clamp not shown) that embraces the intermediate portion of the spring and strip 3 to attach the spring to another object, such as the axle, body or other part of a vehicle-Y Any suitable clamp can be used to embrace'the spring and secure it toan object'withoutthe necessity of drilling holesv through the spring and thus weakening it, and although the clamp secures the spring to the respec tive object, and does not "prevent the end wise creeping of the leaves 1, this is avoided by the strip 3 and parts carried thereby.

Riveted or otherwise secured to the inner or under side of the strip 8 are cleats orabutments 6 disposed transversely, and so arranged as to abut orbe disposed adjacent to the ends of theleaves 1, thereby preventing relative longitudinal displacement er the leaves other than the natural movement due to the flexing action as the spring bends. same of the cleats *3 are provided at their ends with downwardly or inwardlyextending straps 7extending across the edges of 'to' hold the terminal portions of the leaves together, while the abutments preventend If desired, the-straps 7' wise displacement. can be wider than the cleats 6, so as tooverlap the edges of the leaves which abut against the respective cleats, as seen in Fig;

4. In otherwords, by this arrangement, the endof the leaf which abuts the cleat extends between the straps 7, so as to prevent this end of the leaf; from being displaced sidewise.

The device is simple, consisting of. the strip 3' with the cleats'secured thereto,'and can be quickly applied to the spring to hold the leaves thereof assembled, without the necessity of drilling" holes through the spring, and without interfering with thei flexure of the spring.

Fig.5 shows aspring of half length, as compared with the spring shown inFig. '1, theleaves 1 being cut of? square at one end,

andthe corresponding end of the strip 3 is: bent at anangle, as at 9, so asto extend 7 across the ends of the leaves 1. and hold them against 'endwise movement in one direction, while the abutments 6 prevent endf wise movement in the other direction. I The construction is-the same as shown in Fig;- 1,*with the" exception that the leaves and strap are both out off, and the strip is bent tooverlap the butt end of the spring. Figs. 6, 7 and'8 showthe invention as used in an elliptical spring, constituting two sections such as shown in Fig. 1 the eyes 2 being used'for hingi-ngfthe ends of thesections together, "and each sectionhaving a strip 3 appliedto the leaves, as above explained. One strip 3 is shorter than the respective spring, so as to terminate short of the ends thereof," the tends of the other strip 3 project beyond the ends of the respective spring,and are bent back, as at 4:, so as to overlap theen'ds of the shorter strip. A'

' transverse cleat' l6 similarto the cleat'6 is riveted or otherwise securedjtransversely to the inner side of each bent back portion 4, for the abutment of the ends of the shorter strip 3,'to hold the shorter strip against endwise displacement, andeach ,clea't 16 is provided with inwardly extending straps 1.7 i 7 can extend between the straps 17 to prevent sidewise or edgewise displacement thereof.

In this type of spring, the strips 3 extend completely around the same, and each strip isassembled with the corresponding spring leaves in substantially the same manner as above descrlbed.

Having thus described the invcntiomwhat is claimed as new is 1. A lamlnated spring having leaves terminatin in ste ed arran ement and a stri clamped to the leaves and extending longitudinally over the terminals thereof, and

provided with abutmentsfor said i termi n'als'.

2.,A laminated spring havingleaves terminating in stepped arrangement, a strap ex tending longitudinally over the terminals of said leaves, and provided with abutments adjacent to said terminals to prevent end wise displacement of the leaves, and means for clamping the leaves together and clamping the strip thereto,

, 3; A laminated springhaving leaves termi nating in stepped a'rrangement, a striprextending longitudinally over. the term nals of said leaves, cleats secured to said strip to abut-the terminals of the leaves, and 7 means for clamping the leaves together and the strip to the leaves. 7 t t v4i. A laminated spring comprising leaves terminating instepped arrangement,.a strip extending longitudinally over the terminals I ofsald leaves, sa d strip having abutments at the'terminals of the leaves to prevent endwise displacement thereof, straps. extends ing from the strip across the edges of the 'leaves, andmeans connecting the straps to clamp the parts together.

f 5. A laminated spring comprising leaves termlnating instepped arrangement, a str p extending longitudinally over the terminals of the leaves, cleatssecured tothe strip to abut the terminals of the leaves, some of the cleats having straps extending from the ends, thereof across the edges of thelea ves, and means connecting the straps tov hold the parts together. Q 1 I In testimony whereof I have signed-uny name to this specification in the presence/of two subscribing witnesses.

' BENJAMIN CORLISSQ Witnesses: V r I W. H, PHINNEY, CHAs; E. Cooxs'oN.

Copies of this patent'znay be obtainedifor 'fiv'e cents eacluby addressing thev flommissip ner of Patents; I w WashingtomD. G. v V 

